I’m starting to long line my horse and although my trainer can lend me stuff for the moment I’d like to get my own so we aren’t swapping back and forth and putting wear on her stuff. I’m thinking a surcingle with some padding to keep it from rotating (hers is flat webbing and we had some slippage moments today) and then are there some weights/textures of lines that people find more manageable?
I like the Dover surcingle but I use a regular double sided elastic dressage girth. I own long lines, which are fine but frequently way longer than I personally like. I prefer to use a metered lunge with the weird donut end
Put the surcingle over the saddle.
I know people don’t often do that anymore, but that is actually how it’s supposed to be done. Surcingles have a very obvious “squeeze” effect when tightened. My saddle fitter reminded me of this last month, and mentioned that she’s seen many horses get sore from them when used with just a pad underneath. That’s one of the reasons vaulting surcingles are solid.
If you look in older books illustrating long lining and double longing, the surcingles are always shown over a saddle, and that is why.
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I was wondering if they ever make shorter ones. My trainer has the Dover lines and it’s a lot to get tangled up in. I think the snap on my lunge line is probably too large to pass through most surcingle rings though.
I got my surcingle from a saddlebred catalog. It has padding at the top so it sits more like a saddle behind the withers and shoulder blade without rotating. I also made my long lines using long web dog leashes attached to round rope. The rope is the length of a lead rope with a snap on one end and oval ring on the other. Then if I want shorter lines (more in hand/ground driving) I take off the rope ends. If I want to double lunge I use the rope attached. The rope also slides easier thorough rings and bits than webbing. A friend that did lots of training with youngsters helped me make them after I loved her (homemade) ones. They are 20 (?) years old and still work!
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Artomine: yes. During testing of young stallions in I think Oldenburg this year they were longeing in surcingles with a solid arch that cleared the withers so no contact there. A company in Germany sells a surcingle with the arch, designed to not exert the nutcracker-like effect when used without a saddle. Company is “Bareback,” I think (have no connection to them).
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I prefer a surcingle with the arch and with rings that stand as opposed to ones that can collapse.
I also have 2 different sets of long lines. One longer than the other. The shorter ones are best for ground driving out and about, as well as collected and more up close work. So I do find having 2 sets useful.
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What brand of surcingles have the raised rings? Also, do they make a surcingle with raised rings that has two straps for a girth, and not just one?
I have those Dover lines.
Pros: They are light and the nylon sewn into a thin, roll-like part slides easily through rings or on the bit. IMO, you want both of these things–light-n-slippery- so that the “release” you can give to the horse’s head is quick. Also, light helps your arms and shoulders.
Cons: I don’t love the 1" wide cotton webbing that I hang on to. I have small hands, so I’d really prefer a 5/8" web. Also, I find the cotton is just a touch “sticky”. IMO, that helps the lines stick to one another and contribute to a wad of line or a tangle.
“Too long” lines is a matter of technique, skill and opinion. I line drive close up to the horse, long line further back and/or on a circle and figure 8, and I double-lunge with my set. I think they are 25’ or 30’. They are really not too long when I am double-lunging a horse who is advanced.
In terms of surcingles, I have a hand-made one so it’s not much help to you guys. But the best one I have seen is like an anti-cast roller that has hinges where the bar over the withers joins the body of the surcingle. That makes the surcingle act a bit like a nut cracker down over the withers when you tighten the girth. Choosing the flocking for this surcingle would probably make the difference between comfort and bad fit for the horse. But I can’t imagine that there’s a substantial risk of making one sore: This won’t be tighter than a saddle and there is none of the rider’s weight bearing down on it. And, really, long-lining sessions are pretty short.
That said, if I had to choose between fit and the safety that comes from not being able to pull a surcingle around a horse’s side or up onto his withers, I’d choose the safety-conscious option. Things can go very wrong, very fast with long lines, especially when one or both parties are green at it. Just don’t surprise anyone and then hog tie him.
If I were in the market for a good long-lining equipment, I’d hit up my driving friends for info. Also, a driving whip will make your life much easier than a lunging whip.
Surcingle; https://www.dressageextensions.com/p…11729000662399 Single billet.
https://www.dressageextensions.com/d…62/&rrec=true/ Double billet.
Long reins; https://www.statelinetack.com/item/t…g-lines/BOA10/
Wear gloves.
Do they have one with rings that stay raised with two billets, that also have the “arch” or padding to keep it from pinching?
I think Zilco make one. You will have more luck finding one if you look at carriage driving suppliers.
Schneider’s has a surcingle with standing rings that works with a western girth. I like it a lot better than the regular buckles. Unfortunately, it does collapse, so it could give a nutcracker effect. I just purchased a Prolite roller pad for it to make it more comfy.
For long lines, I had RoseLodgeEquine on Etsy make me a set out of 3/8" yacht rope with slobber strap ends instead of snaps. They have nice play and can be run through any size D rings. She’ll make whatever length you prefer. I just knot them when I want a stop at the end.
Looks like those lines are a shorter version for in hand type work rather than double lunging. I think I’ll take the above suggestion and get these for close up and the longer ones for double lunging/long lining. My horse is a pretty good boy but pretty green in the lines as am I. We’re doing lessons with my trainer currently and my goal is to work up to more advanced stuff and maybe be able to ground drive him around the property once we’re both more seasoned. We’ve had clinicians come through before who were very experienced with in hand work so I’m hopeful that may happen again in the future once all the COVID19 stuff settles. Longer lines to start seem better since I’m pregnant and want to stay out of kicking range while
he’s still new to it, but shorter lines seem much easier to manage once you leave a round pen setting.
https://www.sstack.com/dura-tech-smarter-jockey/p/13029/
Is this the style that people are mentioning to prevent a nut cracker effect? Seems like a good idea, although I’m reluctant to spend $$$ on one with a single billet since it seems pinch at least with my current model (part of why I’m replacing it, rings too small too) and since my horse is smaller (15.2) I’d like the option of using his own girth if it’s too big off the rack.
I love the Etsy idea! What do you mean by a slobber strap?
I agree the rolled part by the horse is helpful but it seems like that’s a common feature. I too just felt like the handful of excess was tough to manage and didn’t slide well. I think a small part is right now she’s handing them directly to me after getting him started to I haven’t organized them myself beforehand. It just seemed like every time I let out slack it would weirdly reverse my hand position which was annoying.
Yes, mine is this way. I’ll see if I can find the brand. I bought it off of eBay.
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I would not want to use standard-width yacht rope for long lines. I’m a big fan of that rope with a rope halter for ground work. That’s how I know what it’s like to handle. I think it will be too thick and too heavy for long lining. If you don’t mind rope dragging on the ground behind you, the length might not be a problem (though not everyone feels safe with lines on the ground). But the weight of that rope will be hard on you and the horse.
I have an FEI driving friend who has some mountain rope lines. That sounds like a better diameter and weight to me. But she says she doesn’t like it that they are round.
As you can tell, this is a somewhat personal thing.
Some folks like to buy tandem leather driving reins. I think the horse size versions of those are 25’ or 28’ long. My driving friend thinks they’d be too heavy. I think they’d have a nice feel and manageability to them that cotton webbing or round rope would not. But I’d be bummed to drag leather on the ground (as I sometimes do with my Dover lines) or have a horse break one of those. They are beautiful and expensive.
I have a secondhand padded surcingle, gives spine clearance and won’t roll.
The lines are 1" nylon, a red and a blue for left and right. At least 15ft, if not 20ft long. I tied a loop to each end and I hook the loops onto my pinky fingers, then lay excess line over my inner elbow. Helps a lot with how long they are. I like to be close to the horse when driving and I don’t keep contact unless cueing.
